Perceived Wellness Measured by the National Wellness Institute’s Wellness Focus Survey Tool among Women in Al Ain, UAE: A Sentinel Study

Abstract

Objectives: While there is a plethora of women’s studies conducted on psychosocial variables such as mental health, quality of life, and burden of care, there is a dearth of studies on the dimension of “wellness,” particularly from the Arabian Gulf population. This study was designed to investigate perceptions of personal wellness among women residing in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) using six dimensions of wellness, namely; Spiritual, Emotional, Intellectual, Occupational, Physical, and Social. The related aim was to examine the relationship between perceived wellness and socio-demographic characteristics. Methods: This online cross-sectional study was carried out from August 2021 to October 2021 among women residing in the UAE. The outcome measure included the National Wellness Institute’s Wellness Focus Survey Tool, which was adapted to suit local dialect and social modesty. The newly adapted questionnaire was translated into Arabic. The study also included pertinent socio-demographic variables. Results: A total of 325 women living in Al Ain, UAE participated in the study. Out of the participants, 60.8% were Emiratis, aged between 31 and 40 years (37.3%) and married (57.8%). The participants were mainly employed (59.7%) and most of them lived in private (61.5%) accommodation. The analysis reveals the following ranking order of the six dimensions of wellness; Spiritual (mean = 4.30, SD = 0.84), followed by Social (mean = 4.05, SD = 0.85), Occupational (mean = 3.93, SD = 1.05), Emotional (mean = 3.76, SD = 0.91), Intellectual (mean = 3.73, SD = 1.01), and Physical (mean = 2.41, SD = 1.04). Among the women’s characteristics, age and marital status were found to be significantly associated with the Emotional Dimension. Moreover, nationality and accommodation were significantly associated with the Intellectual Dimension. Overall, using factor analysis of the instrument, we found that only one component was sufficient to adequately explain either the Occupational or Spiritual Dimensions, while two components were needed to explain each of the following; Intellectual, Emotional, Social, and Physical dimensions of wellness. Conclusion: Wellness is of great importance to UAE women, with significant associations with some socio-demographic characteristics. The Spiritual Dimension, in particular, was perceived to be of highest importance, closely followed by Social, Occupational, Emotional, Intellectual, and Physical dimensions. In particular, age and marital status had significant association with the Emotional Dimension, while nationality and accommodation were significantly associated with the Intellectual Dimension. These findings are of importance to future endeavors that are aimed towards the betterment of the quality of life of women in the UAE, by indicating which spheres of wellness are prioritized and which ones require further scrutiny.